Journal box



G. F. COUCH April 23, 1935.

JOURNAL Box Filed Nov. 16, 1951 3 sheets-sheet 1 y f SWIM I, 7 i. WN W9l M \w\ MNMW llll -L atten/441 G. F. COUCH April 23, 1935.

JOURNAL BOX Filed Nov. 16, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 G. F. coUcH JOURNAL BOXApril 23, 1935.

Filed Nov. 1e, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 dhtml/q Patented Apr. 23, 1935PATENT OFFICE JOURNAL Box Glenn Couch, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to TheSymington Company,` New York, N. Y., a. corporation ofv Maryland'`Application November 1s, 1931, serial No. 575,393

7 Claims.

This invention relates to journal boxes and, more particularly, to lidsfor closing journal boxes. f

The principal object of my invention, generally considered, istoprovide. an articulated lid comprising a cover memberor lidY proper, a

. spring retainer, hood or spider, an actuating lever, and resilientmeans. for urging said lever into engagement with the hinge lug of anassociated box for holding the lid in open or closed position.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an articulatedjournal box lid comprising a spring retainer with a cover and a leverpivoted thereto at different points, and spring means with one endVengaging the free end of thel leverV and the other engaging the retaineradjacent the pivotal connection with the cover, the pivotal connectionbetween the retainer and the cover, if desired, comprising a pivot pinwith a resilient or rubber bushing thereon and in en-V gagement with anapertured lug on the 'cover for deadening vibration between the'parts.

A further object of my invention is the provision of la. journal boxlid, the lower lend of which is extended below'a part. normally engagingthe lower edge of the. journal box opening and formed with a `rearwardlyopening pocket adapted to receive a packing hook. l Other objects'andadvantages of the inventionV relating to the particular arrangement and"construction of 'the Various parts will becomeA apparent as thedescription proceeds.

Referring tothedrawings illustrating my in@ vention, the scope whereofis defined by the appended clain1`sz`` Figure l is' a front elevationalView of Ya jour"- nal box lid made in accordance-with one em' i bodimentof my invention,a portion of the hood 3-3 of Figure l, looking in thedirection of they arrows. j Y Y Figure 4.is a fragmentary detail showingan elevational view of the packing hookpocket adjacent. the. lower endof the lid, approximately as shown in Figure l. y

liigureS-is a vertical sectional view on the linel 5-5 of Figure 4,looking in the direction of the arrows. Y

Figures 6 and 7 are viewscorresponding, re-

Figure'3 is a vertical sectional View on the line spectively, 'toFigures 4 and l, 5, but showing a modification. i rFigures 8 and 9 areviews corresponding, respectively, to Figures l and 3, but showinganother embodiment of vmy invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like parts being designated '"bylike reference characters, and rst considering'the embodimentof myinvention illustrated in Figuresl to 5, inclusive, there is shown afragmentary portion of a journal box I provided upon its roof ortop wall2 adjacent the forwarder outer edge 3 thereof with a hinge lug 4whichgisapertured, as indicated at 5, toireceive a hinge pin or pintle 6for connectingthe articulated lid or lid fassembly 'I thereto. f Saidlug'isurther provided withV faces 8 and 9 by which, 7through thecooperation of parts hereinafter described, the lid assembly 'I ismaintained in'either closed or open po'- sition. Said lid assemblycomprises a cover or closure portion III, a spring retainer or spider II, a lever or lid-actuating member I2, in the form of a simple orgenerally straight, as distinguished from a bell crank, lever, andaspring or resili# ent means I3 for energizing said lever'.U

The cover or lid proper VI 0 is preferably formed as a substantiallyflat, suitablyreinforced plate, the marginal edges I4 of which areadapted to overlie the Vmarginal edges of the journal box opening' I5.The lower end of the cover I0 is desirably extended below the lower edgeof the journal box, as indicated vat I6, and formed with av rearwardlyopening pocket I'I dened by a rearwardly' extending vflange I3 andformed by upwardly embossing the lower extension of the lid, as shownmosticlearlyin Figures 3 and 5. In order to 'guidean associated packinghook, the lower edge of the journal box lid is formed with a notch orgroove I9. f l

The peripheral edge of the cover or lid proper I0 is rigidied by iianges20 which overlie the box at the sides and upper edge of the opening. Atthe hinge lug, where the overlying flange is necessarily omitted, asshown most clearly in Figure 3, the strength'ofthe lid is maintained bya similar outstanding flange 2| substituted for the overlyingrlange. Theouter face of the lid proper I0 is Yformed with an outstanding aperturedlug 22 receiving a pivot pin 23 which normally extendsA throughcorrespondingly apf CII apertured lug portions 25 on the spider. Thepivot pin 6 is normally retained in position by the overlying sideportions 26 of the hood portion 21 of the lid I 3.

The spider II is formed generally as two side portions 28 which flareaway from each other adjacent the upper ends, said upper ends receivingthe pivot pin 6, andthe lower ends receiving the pivot pin 23, aspreviously explained. Adjacent the apertured lugs 24, the side portions28 are connected by a transverse portion 29 which is preferably concaveinwardly to provide a seat for the coils 3D of the torsion actuatingspring i3. The upper portions of the side members 28 of the spider arevdesirably connected and rigidiiied by a second transverse portion 3I.

The actuating lever l2 desirably has outstanding trunnions 32 pivotallymounted in inwardly and upwardly opening bearings 33 formed adjacent theupper ends of the side portions 28 of the spider H,'saidrtrunnionspreferably having flattened sides 34 so that they may be inserted inplace inthe slots 35 in theV bearings 33 of the spider when the lever I2is positioned in other than normal position, as Will be understood.,Thelever I2 is desirably rigidified by side flanges 36 and formed withan outstanding lug 31 over which the loop portion 38 of the torsionspring I3 hooks when assembled, as shown most clearly 'in Figure 3. Y f

In order to prevent loss or undesired removal of the pivot pin 23, thespider-desirably has portions 39 extendingbeyond the apertured lugs 24and notched, as indicated at 40, to provide seats for the lower ends ofthe torsion spring I3, ,said notches being so disposedl that the ends ofthe spring I3 are heldinepo'sitionadjacent the ends of the pin'23 so asto be engaged upon axial movement of said pin to hold the latter inplace.

From the foregoing disclosure, it is thought the manner-of assemblyandthe operation of thelid will oe apparent. It might be added, however,

that the lever I2 is inserted and assembled withv lever with theretainer or spider I I, the pivot pin 23 is desirably positioned topivotally connect the spider and lid proper. The spring I3 is thenpositioned so that the lower ends thereof serve as retainers for the pin23, as shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 3, the upper end of saidspring hooking over the lug 31 of the lever I2. It will be seen thatwhen the parts are assembled, as shown, for example, in Figure 3, theflange 2|V performs the double function of rigidifying the upper edge ofthe lid adjacent the hinge lug 4 and'acting as a stop for the lever I2after the spider is assembled with respect to the cover, the clearancesbeing such that the spider and assembled lever can be inserted in placewith respect to the cover It! before the pin 23 is positioned. Afterassembly, it will be understood that the spring i3 urges the leveragainst the hinge Vlug 4 and the faces 8 and. 9 thereof to alternatelyhold the lid assembly 1 in either closed or open position. Referring nowto the embodiment of my 'invention illustrated in Figures 6 and '7, aslightly modified form of packing hook pocket I1a is disclosed in whichthe flange IBa defining the same is extended rearwardly beyond the innersurface of the lid ma and the lidis, therefore, not necessarily lever I2b, and an energizing spring I3b.

embossed outwardly to the extent of the first embodiment. 'Ihe loweredge of the lid is formed with a notch I9a for guiding the packing hook,as in the previous embodiment. Except as specilically described inconnection with the present embodiment, the same may correspond withthat of the preceding embodiment, the lid reinforcement, however, beingillustrated as slightly different.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 8and 9, a construction is there disclosed involving an articulated lid.or lid assembly Ib comprising a cover or lid proper 10b, a springretainer or hood IIb, an actuating As in the previous embodiment, theretainer is pivoted to a hinge lug 4b by a pivot pin 6b, and the lowerend of the retainer IIb receives a pivot pin 23h passing through anapertured lug 2?b extending from the outer face of the lid Ilib, aresilient or rubber bushing 4I'b'eing mounted on the pin 23b anddisposed between the same and the lug 22b for deadening vibration andminimizing wear between the retainer and lid.

' As in the preceding embodiment, a torsion spring I3b is'employed, thecoilsof which seat on the retainer, which, in the present embodiment, isalso a hood', and the lower ends of which engage seats on said retainer,but do not,'as in the preceding embodiment, act yas retaining means forthe pin 23h, which is shown as having its ends riveted over, or one endheaded and the other riveted over, as indicated at 42. The upperorlooped end 38b of the spring I3b desirably hooks over a lug 31b on thelower end of the lever I2b, which lever, as in the previous embodiment,is desirably reinforced by side flanges 361.

The lever I2b of the present embodiment is not formed with outstandingtrunnions, as in the preceding embodiment, but rather with a beadedupper edge 32b forming trunnion means engaging confining and bearinglugs 43, 44, and 46 on the retainer I I b. The beaded upper edge 32b isof such form that it may be inserted in place when the lever is moved toabnormal angular position so'that it lies adjacent and substantiallyparallel to the outer wall 41 of the hood IIb, and it is subsequentlyinterlocked therewith upon movement to the normal position shown inVFigure 9.

The assembly and operation of the articulated lid in the presentembodiment, as will be understood, is' similar to that of the lid in thepreceding embodiment, except that the matter of the assembly of thespring I 3b is simplified because said spring does not also serve as aretainer for the pin or rivet 231. For this reason, the spring isadapted to be placed under'a greater amount of initial tension than inthe first embodiment. Except as specifically described in` connectionwith the present embodiment, the same may correspond with the embodimentof Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, it being understood, however, that theretainer of the present embodiment functions as a hood, and the cover isunprovided with an integral hood. It will also be understood that theupper edge of the lid proper 10b functions Yas a limit stop for thelever I2b of the present embodiment, rather than an outstanding ange onsaid upper edge.

From a consideration of the foregoing, it will be seen that I havedevised an improved articulated lid for journal boxes involving movablyconnected cover, spring retainer and lever portions, with resilientmeans for urging the lever into operative engagement with the hinginglug of an associated box.

Although I have described preferred embodiments of my invention, it willbe understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scopeof the appended claims, and that the terms and expressions which I haveemployed are used as terms of description and not of limitation.

1. In combination, a journal box having a hinge lug and a lid assemblymounted thereon and comprising a spring retainer with a cover and agenerally straight lever pivoted thereto at diierent points, and springmeans with one end engaging the free end of the lever and the other endengaging the retainer adjacent the pivotal connection with the cover.

2. In combination, a journal box having a hinge lug, a lid assemblymounted thereon and comprising a lid proper, spring retainer meansrespectively pivoted at its ends to the hinge lug and lid proper, andspring means disposed between said retainer means and lid proper, saidspring means comprising a lever pivoted to the spring retainer, and atorsion spring with an upper loop portion engaging said lever,intermediated coil portions supported on said retainer, and lower endportions engaging lower abutment portions on said retainer.

3. In combination, a journal box having a vhinge lug, and a lid assemblyfor closing the outer opening in said box, said assembly lcomprising aclosure member with a hood outstanding from the front face thereof andadapted to t over said lug, a spider received between said closuremember and hood, a lever pivoted to said spider adjacent its upper end,a pivot pin connecting the lower end of said spider to said closuremember, a torsion spring with an intermediate portion seated on saidspider, an upper portion engaging said lever for actuating the same, andlower` portions engaging said spider and lying adjacent opposite ends ofsaid pivot pin for preventing undesiredv removal thereof.

4. In combination with a journal box having a hinge lug, an articulatedlid pivotally connected thereto, said lid including va hood, a cover anda lever, said lever being pivotally connected to the hood adjacent theupper ends of said members, a pin extending through the lower portion ofsaid hood and an intermediate portion of said cover, a resilient bushingmounted on said pin for reducing wear therebetween, and a spring foractuating said lever, said spring having an intermediate portion mountedon said hood, an upper portion engaging the lever adjacent its lower.end, and lower portions engaging said hood.

`5. A journal box lid comprising a spring retainer with a cover and alever pivoted theretok at different points, and spring means involvingan intermediate portion seated on the retainer, one end engaging thefree end of the lever and the other end engaging the retainer adjacentthe pivotal connection with the cover.

6. In combination, a f journal box having a hinge lug and a lid assemblyfor closing the outer opening in vsaid box, said assembly comprising aclosure member, a spring retainer, a lever pivoted to said springretainer adjacent its upper end, means movably connecting the lower endof said spring retainer to said closure member, a torsion spring with anintermediate portion engaging said spring retainer, the upper portionengaging said lever for actuating the same, lower portions engaging saidspring retainer and lying adjacent ropposite ends of lsaid pivot pin forpreventing undesired removal thereof, and means pivotally connectingsaid closure member and spring retainer to said box.

7. In combination with a journal box having a hinge lug, an articulatedlid pivotally connected thereto, said lid including a spring retainer, acover and a lever, said lever being pivotally connected to said springretainer adjacent the upper portion of said lid, a pin extending throughthe lower portion of said spring retainer and an intermediate portion ofsaid cover, a resilient device mounted on said pin and engaging thesurrounding portion of said spring retainer, and a spring for actuatingsaid lever, said spring having intermediate portions mounted on saidspring retainer,

an upper portion engaging the lever adjacent its lower end, and lowerportions engaging abutments on said spring retainer.

' GLENN F. COUCH.

